Retractable jaw wrench having parallel resilient jaws



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R. S. CLOUGH Feb. 23, 1954 RETRACTABLE JAW WRENCH HAVING PARALLELRESILIENT J Filed Jan. 19, 1951 d.. ../y. F

Rober! .S Clough IN V EN TOR.

j iIhis invention relates to movable into with the wall of the handle.

Patented F eb: 23, 1954 PARALLEL RESILIENT JAWS Robert S. Clough,Wilmington, Del. Application January 19, 1951, Serial No. 206,850

1 claim.

new and useful improvements in a combined socket wrench and screwdriver, and this application is a continua tion-in-part of the copendingapplication for patent, Serial No. 726,866, led February 6, 1947, and

now abandoned.

The basic object of this invention is to provide a Ytool whereby nutsand screw heads of various sizes may be engaged and held whiletightening or loosening the same. The present tool is essentiallycomprised of a pair of jaws oi special character open and closedpositions by reciprocable movement of the jaws outwardly and in- Wardlyof a tubular body, and the instant form of the invention includes meansfor locking the jaws in position on a nut or screw head.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide a tool of theabove-described type in which the work `gripping jaws are resilientlyurged apart but are so controlled as to constantly maintain asubstantially parallel relationship to each other whereby a plurality ofdifferent sized nuts and screws may be gripped with equal iacility.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tool of thischaracter which is ideally adapted for use by mechanics and electricianshandling equipment where nuts and screws `are frequently located inpositions making the use of ordinary tools diiiicult or impossible.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a fishing tool forscrews which have previously been loosened by a screw driver, thepresent tool being ideally adapted for securing a rm grip on theloosened screw, thus facilitating the further unscrewing thereof and t`e removal thereof, and preventing the loss of the screw.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tool of simple andpractical construction, which is eicient and reliable in operation,relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for thepurposes for which the same is intended.

The tool of the present invention can be broadly described as comprisinga manually reciprocable member mounted to slide within a tubular handleunder the eiiect of a resilient motive means and carrying at one end apair of work engaging jaws which are resiliently biased apart intocontact Each of the jaws is formed as an elongated linger member havingan ogee curvature along its longitudinal axis `and a transverse contourof substantially V-shape adjacent the free end thereof. The tubularhandle is provided with a ared portion at one end for cooperation withthe ogee curvature of the linger members in such manner that the lingermembers maintain a substantially parallel relationship to each other asthey are extended from and Withdrawn into the handle by reclprocablemember. A lug is formed on each sliding the manually linger member nearits free extended end to provide a back-stop or rest against which nutsmay be seated; or interchangeably, which may fit into the conventionalkerf in screws.

It will be apparent that this construction provides a unique arrangementadapting the tool for use with nuts and screws of various sizes, and forboth applying and removing the same in cooperation with a threadedconnection. In. this respect the flared portion of the handle and theogee curvature of the linger members have dif ferent radii in order tomaintain a parallel rela.- tionship between the gripping jaws whengrasping a particular work component and to implement a rapid threadingor unthreading operation without skewing or damaging the grippedcomponent.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described, reference being had tothe drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to likeparts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, showing the jawsin a projected and open position;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view Figure 4 is an elevational view ofjaws removed from the tool;

Figure 5 is a view, largely in Vertical section, showing the jaws ingripping engagement with a nut, together with contiguous portions of thetool;

Figure 6 is a similar View showing the tool in gripping engagement witha screw head; and

Figure 7 is another end view of the tool.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elementsand portions throughout the specification and throughout the dinerentviews in the drawing.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for purposes ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention,the numeral 5 designates a tubular body having its one end flared asshown at 6 and having an enlargement 'l at the other end thereof, thisenlargement being roughened or serrated to provide for non-slippingengagement with one end of a coaxial tubular handle 8. The tubular body5 is preferably constructed of lightweight metal while the handle 8 maybe constructed of plastic, hard rubber or other suitable material.

The inner end of the enlargement l on the body 5 is of a diameter lessthan the inside diameter of the handle B, whereby there is provided ashoulder 9 against which one end of a coil spring rIll abuts, the otherend of the spring abutting a push button or plunger Il coaxially andslidably mounted in the end of the handle 8 remote from the body 5.

The plunger I l is axially bored throughout a of the tool; one of theportion of its length and internally threaded. A rod I2 has one endthereof threaded into the plunger, and this rod I2 extendslongitudinally through the handle 8 and into 'the 'tubular body 5. Tothe other end of the rod I2 is pivotally a+- tached the shank portionsI3 of a pair of jaws I4, which shanks are preferably slightly resilient,the means of attachment including a pin 'I5 extending transverselythrough said other end of the rod I2 and through apertures provided onthe inner ends of the Shanks I3.

The jaws I4 extend longitudinally in the tubular body 5, in opposedrelation with respect to each other, and the jaws are substantially V-shaped in cross section with the valleys of the jaws opposed to eachother as clearly shown vin Figure 3 of the drawings. The flared end 6 ofvthe tubular body is shaped to provide V-shaped guides II at oppositesides of the body and in which the jaws I4 are conormably seated forrict'ional engagement with the guides I'I as the jaws are moved axiallyof the body 5.

As will be apparent from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2 and 4, each jaw Illcomprises an elongated finger member having an ogee curvature along vitslongitudinal axis, with the radi-us of curvature being different fromthat of the flared region 6 yof the tubular handle. It will thus beappreciated 'that the jaws may be reciprocated to an extended position,as shown in Fig. 2, without causing a `flaring of the jaws. Thisretention 'of a parallel alignment has been found to be of primeimportance in adapting the tool for eiiicient operation on nuts andscrews of widely varying sizes.

A lug I8 is struck inwardly from each of the jaws I4, adjacent the outerends of the jaws, the lugs having each a straight transverselyprojecting edge I9 adapted for engagement in the kerf or groove 2li of ascrew head 2l. As will be apparent from the illustration in Fig. 4, eachlug is formed by punching a section I8 of the jaw wall I4 and bendingthis section inwardly at the bottom of the V-shaped groove to presentthe straight edge I9 transversely of the jaw. The screw head willsimultaneously be gripped by the jaws III and this construction providesfor the turning of the screw by a similar turning movement of the bodyand handle 8, and the 'screw will be held securely so that the same willnot be lost during the unscrewing operation. The V- shaped constructionof the jaws allows the jaws to conform with the sides of a nut 22,vwhereby the nut may be tightly gripped while being tightened orloosened. Of course, the fact that a bolt on which the nut is mountedextends a short dis- 'tance beyond the nut is immaterial, since theinstant device is adapted to accommodate such projecting end of thebolt.

In the operation of the device the jaws I4 `may be projected outwardlyat the end of the body, indicated at li, by depressing the plunger IIagainst the tension of the spring I2 and the jaws are held against theflared end 6 of the body by the action of a wire spring 23 which has afree end 24 bearing against the inside of one of the jaws. The other end25 of the spring is engaged in an opening 26 in the shank I3 of theopposite jaw. The work, such as the screw head 2| or the nut 22 isengaged between the jaws and upon releasing the plunger II the jaws areretracted into tight gripping engagement by the spring I2. The `plungerII has preferably an enlarged head 21. The headV 21 carries radiatingarms 28 compris- 4 the plunger can be rotated When a nut or screw headhas been engaged by the jaws I4 and/or the lugs I8, the plunger II canbe screwed onto the rod I'2 so that the head 21 will engage acompressible washer 29 on the end of the handle 8, whereby the jaws I4are preserved in gripping relation '0n the nut or screw head, thislocking feature of the device being considered an important novelfeature in this invention. The provision of a compressible washer 29 hasbeen found to lessen the tendency for the plunger 21 to become seized onthe end of the handle 8, and to generally improve the efficiency of thetool. Other bars 30 are provided in radiating relation on that endportion of the handle 8 remote 'from the jaws I4, these 'other bars 30also comprising handle members. Finally, an insulating sleeve 3| isbonded to the exterior surface of the portion of the tubular body member5, extending from the enlargement 1 to the flaring end of the bodymember. It should be noted that the insulating sleeve 3I and theinsulating handle 8 further adapt this tool for use in electricalmaintenance and similar work.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that a highly utilitarian tool forthe purposes set forth has been provided in this invention, and furtherdescription would appear unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A tool comprising a tubular handle having an outwardly flared open end,a member mounted for manual reciprocation in said handle, resilientmeans cooperating with said handle and said member and normally urgingsaid member to a retracted position, a pair of opposed gripping jawscarried by said member including means resiliently urging said jawsapart and into contact with the interior surface of said flared openend, each said jaw comprising an elongated 1inger having an ogeecurvature along its longitudinal axis in substantially parallelrelationship with said flared portion of said handle, the radii ofcurvature of said narod open end of said handle differing from the radiiof curvature of said finger whereby the tubular handle functions as aguideway for camming said jaws together in opposed parallel relationshipupon retracting said member, said finger further including asubstantially V-shaped transverse -contour, and a lug carried by eachsaid ringer whereby said jaws may serve to engage, grip and turn nutsand screws interchangeably.

ing handles whereby relative to the rod I2.

ROBERT S. CLOUGH.

References Cited in the le of this patent. UNITED STATES PATENTS

